Optical networks are becoming prevalent in part because service providers want to deliver high bandwidth communication capabilities to customers. An example network may include one or more central offices that connect a number of end subscribers (also called end users) in a network. The central offices may additionally connect to a larger network such as the Internet and/or to a public switched telephone network (PSTN).
When leading a number of individual fibers to the premises of an end user, it is often necessary or desirable to enclose cable terminations or splices in environmentally sealed enclosures. For example, an operator may wish to enclose an optical fiber cable splice or termination. Some fiber optic cables, commonly referred to as “flat drop cables,” are frequently used for fiber-to-the-home connections and may require splice enclosures. Fiber optic drop cables typically include one or more strength members, one or more optical fibers, a protective buffer tube surrounding the optical fiber(s), and an outer jacket surrounding the strength member(s) and the buffer tube. Known environmental splice enclosures typically secure each cable using clamps, bolts, or the like to prevent the cable from pulling out or pushing into the enclosure.
Improvements in forming fiber breakouts in such cables in the field and in assembling the sealed distribution enclosures are desired.